Toy horse



TOY HORS E Filed July 9, 1945 y 38 V l' I I I five/7Z5?! 1G 10 2O 1 flZZifier Patented Oct. 30, 1945 NeirF. Altherton; Wooddale. nl, assignor to P. Chicago, m, a cor-mira- Heimle Machine Co.

" tion or Illinois Application July 9, 1945, Serial No. 6035375 9 Claims.

This invention relates to an improved toy horse, and has for one of its principal objects the provision of a toy horse in the shape of a hobby horse; which can be ridden by children, and which will, in addition to furnishing considerable amusement, also comprise a. source of beneficial exeruse One of the important objects of this invention is to provide in a toy horse a mechanical move.-

ment which will simulate to some extent the actions of a Iive horse when being ridden, and which furthermore can be adjusted so that these simulated actions may be controlled to accommodate children of various sizes and. temperaments. Another and further important object oi the invention is to provide a simple, readily constructed and at the same time rugged device which will withstand considerable hard usage such as toys of this type encounter, and. which, if broken, can. be readily repaired.

Another and still further object of the invention is to provide in a toy horse means for rocking the same or producing a simulated galloping motion, and which at the same time will produce a noise somewhat simulating the neigh or a. horse.

Other and further important objets of the invention will be apparent from the disclosures in the accompanying drawing and following specifications.

The invention, in a preferred form, is shown in the drawing and hereinaftei; more fully described.

In the drawing:

Figure I is a side elevation of the improved toy horse of this invention, Showing a referred embodiment of the invention.

Figure 2 is a bottom plan of the seat, showing; in more detail the support therefor and the means whereby a bucking effect is siimuated.

Figure 3 is a vertical section of the' suppdrt of the. structure, showing a portion of the element which connects the: head and seat of the horse tothis support.

Figured ls a partial sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 3, loowkmg in the direction indicated by the, arrows;

As shownin the drawing:

Thereference numeral It! indicates generally the base of the improved toy horse or this invention, and in the preferred embodiment this base comprises a longitudinal tube such as is best illustrated in Figure 3,. of a desired length and supported at each end by transversely extending;

elements I! and H, which are preferably in the fastened, by

form. of metallic .stampings, but which could be of some other material, if desired or convenient.

The ends of the tube I0 are fitted into bosses formedintegral with the end pieces [2 and I4, as best shown in Figures 3 ands, and the end elements l2 and. M are provided with rubber cushions ti so that. the floor upon which the device is used will. not be. unduly marred. Casters may beprovided, if desired, or the devicemay be mounted on wheels.

Fitted into the forward portion of the. tubular element. to is a longitudinally extending rod l8, which projects. beyond the. forward end of the tube; as illustrated. and which. is surrounded by a helical spring ZOLthe helical spring being wholly contained within. the. tube and; heldin position with respectto the rod l8 by' meansof a. plunger 22 at the inner end. of the rod, which construction. is. surmounted. by anutZ'L. The spring 21! is of the compression type and the forward end operates. against an adjusting nut 26, which is screw-threadedly mounted in the corresponding portion of the supporting bracket f4, Turning of the screw threaded elements 26 will adjust the working compression of the spring 20.

The forward end of the. rod i8 is screw threaded and. uponthis' screw threaded end is mounted V a. pair. of" locking bolts" 28, these being positioned beyond an u wardly extending strap element 30, shaped as shown in Figure 3. This strap element 3!! welded to or integral therewith a rearwardly extending; boss or bosses 32., which have openings therein, these openings adapted to be aligned with corresponding: openings in u war'dly extending. lugs 3'4: formed integral with the base element it. Through these aligned openings a shaft 36 is passed, the same held. in position" by a suitable nut 38.

lim ted to the upper inwardly extending nut of the element rat-a2? by means of bolts and nuts I0, is a supporting element in the form of a metalli'c strap or the like 42, which is positioned at a normal angle of approximately 30 degrees to the tube It and upon the upper end of which is mounted the seat portion 44 and also the head portion 5, which simulates thefneck and head of a horse. The bolts and nuts: 40 are provided so that the device can be readily disassembled for creating and shipping. These can be eliminated if desired.

The outermost end of the supporting metallic strap 42' is turnedinwardly at an angle so that it is approximately parallel with the tube to, as shown at 88 in Figure 1, and to this portionis means of suitable bolts and nuts,

a seat-supporting member 50, which is also preferably in the form of a metallic strap having its rear end bentinto a loop, as shown at 52.

Surmounting the forward portion of the element 50 is a pair of lugs through which a pivot pin 54 passes, this pivot pin also passing through corresponding lugs forming part of a strap 55, which is fastened to the under face of the seat 44. This strap 56, is bent into a U-shaped loop at its forward end, as best shown in Figure l, and the outer end of this U-shaped loop is adapted to contact the end of an adjustable bolt 58 which is mounted in a suitable screw threaded open-u q 5 and a connection between the supporting member and the piston rod, this connection comprising ing in the supporting metallic strap 42,

As best shown by the dot and .dash lines in Figure 1, the pivoting of .the seat at the point 54 enables the same to rock about this point. The rear end of the seat contacts the loop 52 of the metallic element 50 when the child sits thereupon. Any up and down motion of the structure will cause a rocking of the seat portion about the pivot 54; and this rocking can be controlled by positioning of the adjusting bolt 58; In this way the device can be adjusted for children of various ages and different degrees of timidity. A bolt till-depends from the under face of the seat 44 through a slot in the strap element 50, whereby the structure is maintained in proper alignment, and this bolt 60 is also provided with an adjusting nut 62 to supplement the action of the adjusting bolt 58. n v Another feature of the apparatus is the provision of a noise-making attachment which includes a packing element at the inner end of the rod l8, and which obviously moves to and fro in the tubal!) as the device is operated.

Positioned beyond the inner end of the rod I8 is a partition or stop 64 which closes the tube In at this point, and between this stop 64 and the piston element 22 is anopening 66' in the tube I 0. This opening 66 is covered by means of a reed 68 held in position by a pin 1|] so that air expelled through the opening 56 will produce a musical note'as the child bobs up and downon the horse. This can be so constructed as to simulatethe neigh of a horse. 1

A support' for the childs feet is provided by means of a cross bar 12 mounted on the strap element 42 by means of suitable nut and bolt combination 14, and ahandle tobe grasped by the childs hands is provided fitted through the horses neck and adjacent its'head at 'a' point 16.

I It'will be, obvious that the compression spring 20 may be replaced by a tension spring, and that the stiffness of the element 42 can be varied to produce additional springiness if desired. It will further be obvious that the bucking action may be accomplished in various ways other than that set forth, and that the construction of the pivot pointsmay be variedas desired; or convenient. The actual material may also be changed and instead of a horse, other simulated animals may be employed.

t- I am aware that many changes may be made and numerous details of construction varied throughout a wide range without departing from the principles of this invention, and I, therefore, do not propose limiting the patent granted hereon otherwise than as necessitated by the prior art. I claim as my invention: g

'1. A toy horse comprising a baseelement in the form of atube, supp'ortinglegs therefor, .a piston rod movable in the tube, ,a spring in the tube controlling the action of thepiston, a seat and head combination for the horse, a supporting member connecting the seat and head combination to the base, a pivot point for the supporting member adjacent the forward'end of the base and a connection between the supporting member and the piston rod.

2, A toy horse comprising a base element in the form of a tube, supporting legs therefor, a piston rod movable in the tube, a spring in the tube controlling the .action.of the piston a seat and head combination for the horse, a supporting member connecting the seat and head combination to the base, a pivot point for the supporting member adjacent the forward end of the base I a slot in the supporting member through which rod.

3; A toy horse comprising a base element in the form of a tube, supporting legs therefor, a piston rod movable in the tube, a spring in the tube controlling the action of the piston, a seat and head combination for the horse, a supporting member connecting the seat and head combination to the base, a pivot point for the supporting member adjacent the forward endof the base and a connection between the supporting member and the piston rod, and means for varying the compression of the spring. 7 I

4. A toy horse comprising a baseelement in the form of a tube, supporting legs therefor, a piston rod movable in the tube, a spring in the tube controlling the action of the piston, a seat and head combination for the horse, a supporting member connecting the seat and head combinationto the base, a pivot point for the supporting member adjacent the forward end of the base and a connection between the supporting member and the piston rod, and a pivotalconnection beand head combination for the horse, a supporting member connecting the seat and head combination to the base, a pivotpo-int for the supporting member adjacent the forward end of the base and a connection betweenthe supporting member and the piston rod, and a pivotal connection between the seat and its supporting element whereby a bucking action is simulated. r

6. A toy horse comprising a base element in the form of a tube, supporting legs therefor, a piston rod movable in the tube, a spring in'the tube controlling the action of the pist'on,a'seat and head combination for the horse, a supporting member connecting the seat and head combina-' tion to the base, a pivot point for the supporting member adjacent the forward end of the base and a connection between the-supporting member and the, piston rod,and a pivotal connection between the seat and its supporting element whereby a bucking action is simulated, and an adjustable stop mounted in the, support for the seat.

tube controlling the action ofthe piston, a seat,

and head combination forthe horse, a supportingmemberconnectingthe seat and head combination to the base,ja, pivot point for the suptporting member adjacent the forward end of the base and a connection between the supporting member and the piston rod, and a pivotal connection between the seat and its supporting element where-by a bucking action is simulated, and

i an adjustable stop mounted in the support for the seat whereby the amount of the bucking action is controlled, and a further stop and adjusting means provided beneath the seat and adjacent the rear end of its support.

8. A toy horse comprising a base element in the form of a tube, supporting legs therefor, a piston rod movable in the tube, a spring in the tube controlling the action of the piston, a seat and head combination for the horse, a supporting member connecting the seat and head combination to the base, a pivot point for the supporting member adjacent the forward end of the base and a connection between the supporting member and the piston rod, and a pivotal con nection between the seat and its supporting element whereby a bucking action is simulated, and

an adjustable stop mounted in the support for the seat whereby the amount of the bucking action is controlled, and a, further stop and adjusting means provided beneath the seat and adjacent the rear end of its support, together with a support for the childs feet on the element which connects the head and seat portion to the base.

9. A toy horse comprising a base element in the form of a tube, supporting legs therefor, a piston rod movable in the tube, a spring in the tube controlling the action of the piston, a seat and head combination for the horse, a supporting member connecting the seat and head combination to the base, a pivot point for the supportmg member adjacent the forward end of the base and a connection between the supporting member and the piston rod, 2. piston on the inner end of the rod in the tube, and an opening covered by a reed in the tube beyond the piston whereby a noise simulating the neigh of a horse is produced when the device is ridden.

NEIL F. ATHERTON. 

